Danish Metallers Manticora do love a concept album. Two linked together if they can manage it, which of course they did with the “Black Circus” duo fifteen years ago, and then more recently with the “To Kill To Live To Kill” / “To Live To Kill To Live” combo, with accompanying book. But this time around they’ve been content enough to cram their lyrical and musical concept into one 48-minute album – how very restrained of them! Granted, there’s also just as much power, fury, aggression and technicality as usual in there as well, so this is no melodically saturated jaunt of whimsy by any stretch.
Manticora’s sound has grown and expanded in all directions since their Power Metal debut back in 1999, defying labels and straddling genres with ease. To find a direct comparison to Manticora as they are now isn’t possible, and besides, the band have enough of their own previous outputs to draw inspiration from. But as the album unfolds you may be reminded at times of Communic, Nevermore, Sencirow, Persuader, Paradox, Control Denied, Into Eternity or even Agent Steel and an occasional blast of Blind Guardian. On the whole, speed and aggression take centre stage, with the vocals mainly clean sung and the technical, powerful music chopping from Power/Speed Metal into Thrash or Progressive Metal when the mood takes. Manticora’s sound in recent times is such a full-on Metal onslaught that it can take a few listens before many tracks start to properly distinguish themselves from each other, and because this is another concept album there’s a deliberate continuity in the album’s sound too.
But stacking all their ideas into one album this time around has definitely helped the variation throughout the album, albeit under the band’s own remit. Each song pummels it’s way onward, displaying the band on top form, with a cohesion and continuity that aids the story perfectly. Some tracks stand alone intentionally as well though – there’s an intro piece and a two minute orchestral instrumental, plus “Angel Of The Spring” is the nearest Manticora will ever come to a Power Ballad (in the context of the sheer heaviness of the rest of the album), taking it’s foot off the throttle just long enough to become poignant and sensitive. These are the anomaly though, as crushing riffs and thundering rhythms storm the album ever forward in an unrelenting attack of pure, unabridged Metal. There’s just enough progressive elements to keep the songs unpredictable, but more than enough speed and power to drive the experience ever onward. This is also an album of pure, undiluted Manticora, and the band sound at their best throughout. The Manticora faithful will love this one.
(7.5/10 Andy Barker)
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